Chelsea Smith

In her commercial litigation practice, Chelsea focuses on creditors’ rights, counseling clients on available remedies to assert greater leverage on defaulting entities, such as confession of judgment, execution against property, commercial and residential foreclosures, garnishment of accounts and income, and judgment debtor exams. She proactively protects clients’ rights, seeks effective and practical solutions, and prevents the unjustified dissipation or transfer of assets to the fullest extent of the law. She also has experience litigating fiduciary duty claims and broker-dealer cases.

Complimenting her commercial litigation practice, Chelsea defends national class actions in a variety of areas, including consumer claims and warranty and product liability litigation. She is experienced in designing and coordinating discovery strategies, preparing protocols governing electronic discovery, managing document review teams, and identifying and preparing fact, corporate, and expert witnesses. Chelsea also has managed the administration of national class action settlements, including working with claims administrators and responding to objections to claims determinations.

In addition to her class action work and as part of her product liability practice, Chelsea works on the Tucker Ellis team that serves as national counsel for a large consumer appliance manufacturer in its dryer fire litigation. In this role, she manages product liability cases in federal and state courts throughout the country, and manages a dispute resolution program.

An accredited Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) certified by the National Association of Fire Investigators, Chelsea plays an active role in each phase of a fire-related claim, including attending scene inspections and laboratory examinations. She works closely with origin and cause experts to determine defense strategies that best suit clients’ interests.

A Cleveland native, Chelsea enjoys cooking, running, and exploring all that the city has to offer.